journal
Photography: ©Inês Silva Sá
09 / 02 / 2026
In Plaka, Athens’ historic district often referred to as the “neighbourhood of the gods”, there is an apartment that seems to exist between layers of time.
Designed by architecture and interior design studio Stene Alexopoulos, the apartment occupies the top floor of a 1950s building and opens onto a panoramic terrace with uninterrupted views of the Acropolis — a setting that needs no framing.
Overlooking the square of the Byzantine Church of Saint Catherine and just a few steps from Tripodon Street, considered the oldest street in Europe still in use, the project is rooted in a place where history is not a backdrop, but a constant presence. It is within this context that post-war Mediterranean modernism finds a new interpretation, restrained, thoughtful and deeply respectful.
Measuring 75 square metres, the apartment once belonged to Elena Alexopoulos’s grandmother. As such, this project is less about renovation than about continuity. The original layout was preserved, allowing the spatial logic of the 1950s to remain intact. Architectural elements from the period were carefully maintained, not as nostalgic gestures, but as living material upon which the present could be built.
The space was reconfigured to function both as a home and a creative studio, without ever betraying its original identity. The result is a calm and considered interior, where every decision feels deliberate — shaped by time and memory.
In keeping with the building’s date of construction, the project draws on materials emblematic of mid-20th-century Greece: marble, stainless steel and solid wood. Most of the furniture was designed by the studio itself and crafted by local artisans, in a process that celebrates craftsmanship and material authenticity.
The colour palette emerges naturally from these materials, avoiding artificial hues or excessive contrast. Each piece was conceived as a bespoke prototype for the apartment, from the bathroom basin to the marble and stainless-steel structural elements, reinforcing the idea of an interior designed as a cohesive whole.
An Interior as a Cultural Archive
The project is shaped by a subtle layering of references. Antiquity appears in the use of local marbles and classical proportions; 19th-century Greek folk craftsmanship is reflected in the attention to detail and manual skill; and 1950s modernism defines the structure, formal restraint and spatial clarity.
This dialogue takes form through a balanced composition of custom-designed furniture, vintage pieces and a carefully curated selection of works by Greek and French sculptors. The building becomes a quiet stage where past and present coexist without hierarchy.
More than a design exercise, this apartment is a statement of respect for its setting. A space that does not seek to compete with the city around it, but rather to extend it inward with elegance, precision and time.
Overlooking the square of the Byzantine Church of Saint Catherine and just a few steps from Tripodon Street, considered the oldest street in Europe still in use, the project is rooted in a place where history is not a backdrop, but a constant presence. It is within this context that post-war Mediterranean modernism finds a new interpretation, restrained, thoughtful and deeply respectful.
Measuring 75 square metres, the apartment once belonged to Elena Alexopoulos’s grandmother. As such, this project is less about renovation than about continuity. The original layout was preserved, allowing the spatial logic of the 1950s to remain intact. Architectural elements from the period were carefully maintained, not as nostalgic gestures, but as living material upon which the present could be built.
The space was reconfigured to function both as a home and a creative studio, without ever betraying its original identity. The result is a calm and considered interior, where every decision feels deliberate — shaped by time and memory.
In keeping with the building’s date of construction, the project draws on materials emblematic of mid-20th-century Greece: marble, stainless steel and solid wood. Most of the furniture was designed by the studio itself and crafted by local artisans, in a process that celebrates craftsmanship and material authenticity.
The colour palette emerges naturally from these materials, avoiding artificial hues or excessive contrast. Each piece was conceived as a bespoke prototype for the apartment, from the bathroom basin to the marble and stainless-steel structural elements, reinforcing the idea of an interior designed as a cohesive whole.
An Interior as a Cultural Archive
The project is shaped by a subtle layering of references. Antiquity appears in the use of local marbles and classical proportions; 19th-century Greek folk craftsmanship is reflected in the attention to detail and manual skill; and 1950s modernism defines the structure, formal restraint and spatial clarity.
This dialogue takes form through a balanced composition of custom-designed furniture, vintage pieces and a carefully curated selection of works by Greek and French sculptors. The building becomes a quiet stage where past and present coexist without hierarchy.
More than a design exercise, this apartment is a statement of respect for its setting. A space that does not seek to compete with the city around it, but rather to extend it inward with elegance, precision and time.
For more information, visit Stene Alexopoulos website.
